January 20, 2020
Enhancing Economic Development in East Texas
ETCOG is here to support its members through two primary objectives: to provide a forum for local elected officials to solve common problems, and to be a solutions provider for our members. On Friday, January 24th, ETCOG leaders met with the Texas City Managers Association, Region 5, for its annual meeting to share how we are here to enhance economic development in East Texas and offer regional assistance to our members. ETCOG's Executive Director, David Cleveland, and Director of Workforce and Economic Development, Doug Shryock, spoke to the group on the program we administer to do so, the East Texas Economic Development District.
What is the East Texas Economic Development District (ETEDD)?
Economic Development Districts (EDDs) are designated by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to help lead the locally-based, regionally driven economic development planning process that leverages the involvement of the public, private and non-profit sectors to establish a strategic blueprint (i.e., an economic development roadmap) for regional collaboration.
ETCOG receives a three-year planning grant from the EDA, and with those funds we undertake several activities in the East Texas region through the East Texas Economic Development District Board.
How is the ETEDD set up?
The ETEDD is aligned with ETCOG’s 14 county region. There are two board members from each county; One appointment by the county judge and one appointed by the ETCOG Executive Committee representative from each county. The Board has four primary functions:
- Serve as a regional forum to solve common economic development issues
- To identify and resolve economic development and competitive issues facing the region
- Roundtable discussion on regional projects and barrier resolution
- To maintain an updated Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the region
What are the services provided?
- Grant Research
- Grant Writing
- Grant Acquisition for Economic Development Projects
- Post Grant Administration
- Strategic Planning
- Redeveloping Brownfield Sites
- Prospect Support and Advice
- Incubator Grant (Business Park)
- Upgrading Infrastructure to Attract New Industry
- Technical Support Services
- Needs Analysis
- Economic Studies
- Site Visits
Need assistance? Contact the ETEDD
Visit our new website to find out about Opportunity Zones, CEDS, Grant Services, County Profiles, and more!
www.etedd.org
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development launched a new Rural Development Eligibility Lookup Tool, which has been integrated into Rural Development’s Eligibility site. This site now directs users to an eligibility mapping tool for the following programs: Community Facilities Electric OneRD Guarantee Rural Business and Cooperative Services Water and Environmental Programs The Rural Development Eligibility Lookup Tool enables user flexibility in determining programmatic eligibility based on their location across multiple programs simultaneously. USDA Income and Property Eligibility Site: https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do USDA Rural Development Eligibility Lookup Tool (direct link): https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/3c2f6c9581bb4f06a4ab68df8f34b0be This consolidated view of eligibility represents a significant modernization in how Rural Development assesses and communicates program eligibility. By centralizing eligibility checks, utilizing current geospatial technology and adhering to modern data governance standards, the tool significantly reduces staff workload and improves engagement with rural communities. This initiative supports Rural Development’s mission to provide efficient, transparent and accessible services while ensuring compliance with federal requirements and maintaining consistency with existing eligibility data sources.
ETCOG is proud to host the Texas Department of Agriculture on March 12th to hold a TxCDBG Regional Outreach Meeting. Join us to hear a TxCDBG grant program overview of requirements, allocation formula, upcoming funding opportunities, and TDA's one-year action plan. Eligible applicants in our region are all non-entitlement communities, which include all of our cities with the exception of Tyler, Marshall, and Longview. When Thursday, March 12, 2026 10:00 AM Where ETCOG Headquarters 3800 Stone Road Kilgore, TX 75662 Please RSVP your attendance !
ETCOG is proud to host the Texas Department of Agriculture on November 30th to hold a TxCDBG Kickoff Meeting. Join us to hear about grant allocations planned for our region and an overview of proposed changes to the application process.
